Key Yamaha MotoGP figure steps down

Yamaha’s President of its motor racing division Kouichi Tsuji has left his post, signalling another high-profile change of personnel as the marque continues to rebuild its MotoGP operation.

Yamaha underwent several organisational changes over the winter off the back of a difficult 2018 campaign, in which it entered its longest losing streak in its premier-class history after passing 24 races without a victory before Maverick Vinales won at Phillip Island.

While Yamaha is yet to confirm Tsuji stepping down as President of its racing division, Motorsport.com understands current General Manager Hiroshi Ito will take over henceforth.

As part of Yamaha’s restructuring over the winter, it has also altered its working philosophy, with it now providing proper factory support to a satellite team.

During its tie-up with the Tech 3 team – which ended at the end of last season, with Tech 3 joining forces with KTM – its riders would begin a season with the previous year’s bikes, and would receive no updates throughout the campaign.

However, Yamaha has given Petronas SRT rider Franco Morbidelli a ’19-spec bike for this year, with Fabio Quartararo running a slightly detuned current-spec engine.

Yamaha has one victory to its credit so far this year courtesy of Vinales, who won at Assen, while he, Rossi and Quartararo have secured a further 10 rostrums between them.

At recent Brno and Misano tests, Yamaha rolled out prototype versions of its ’20 challenger, having elected against doing similar over the past few years.